A good way to assess your weight is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI estimates whether you are at a healthy weight. Being overweight puts strain on your heart and can lead to serious health problems. These problems include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, varicose veins, and other chronic conditions. More than 300,000 lives could be saved in the U.S. each year if everyone maintained a healthy weight! HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR BMI Your BMI estimates how much you should weigh, based on your height. Here are the steps to calculate it: - Multiply your weight in pounds by 703.
- Divide that answer by your height in inches.
- Divide that answer by your height in inches again.
For example, a woman who weighs 270 pounds and is 68 inches tall has a BMI of 41.0. Use the chart below to see what category you fall into, and whether you need to be concerned about your weight. | BMI | CATEGORY | | Below 18.5 | Underweight | | 18.5 - 24.9 | Healthy | | 25.0 - 29.9 | Overweight | | 30.0 - 39.9 | Obese | | Over 40 | Morbidly Obese |
EXCEPTIONS BMI is not always an accurate way to determine whether you need to lose weight. Here are some exceptions: - Body builders: Because muscle weighs more than fat, people who are unusually muscular may have a high BMI.
- Elderly: In the elderly it is often better to have a BMI between 25 and 27, rather than under 25. If you are older than 65, for example, a slightly higher BMI may help protect you from osteoporosis.
- Children: While an alarming number of children are obese, do not use this BMI calculator for evaluating a child. Talk to your child's doctor about what an appropriate weight is for his or her age.
OTHER METHODS Doctors use a few different methods to determine whether you are overweight. Your doctor may also take your waist circumference and your waist-to-hip ratio into consideration. In addition, a lot of other factors influence your health. These include diet, physical activity, smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels.
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